Thursday, May 30, 2013

Book Review: My Neighbor Is a Dog


Illustrated by: Madalena Matoso



With a limited palette, flat rendering, and brilliant use of white space Madalena Matoso has illustrated a deep and quiet story by Isabel Minhós Martins. Look how beautifully Matoso conveys a cityscape. A marvel! 

The overarching story is about not judging a book by it's cover, but there is so much fun in the visuals and animals and silliness of behavior in their apartment building that you don't feel you are being preached to at all.
Every element, from story, to character, to design and pacing works so well. This is one for the bookshelf. The bookshelf below, by the way, belongs to Time of Wonder (part of Water Street Bookstore in Exeter, NH). I spent oodles of time in their store last week and found it to be one of THE best children's bookstores. The selection, space, and staff are amazing. One bonus as a mother shopping here? A minimal amount of toys. Your little ones will be too busy reading in the corner bench with the bears, anyhow.


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